


Songs to the Soul

by Arvak



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, Funny, I'm Not Alright by Shinedown is Peter's Anthem, Love Confessions, M/M, Peter likes music, Peter's secretly a sap but hides it in snark, Stiles understands how Peter works
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:00:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23551198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arvak/pseuds/Arvak
Summary: Stiles never got to see Peter asleep. Even when they shared the same bed, Peter always fell asleep after Stiles did, and woke up before him. Sometimes it bothered him, but he hadn't questioned him about it. He figured it was something personal, something deep ingrained into Peter like survival instinct - Peter didn't like to be vulnerable.Of course, he was completely wrong. The explanation was actually much simpler and much, much sweeter.
Relationships: Peter Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Comments: 10
Kudos: 440





	Songs to the Soul

Stiles never got to see Peter asleep. Even when they shared the same bed, Peter always fell asleep after Stiles did, and woke up before him. Stiles hadn't questioned him about it. He didn't feel like he had the right to. He figured it was something personal, something deep ingrained into Peter like instinct - like _survival_ instinct. Peter didn't like to be vulnerable.

He's never seen that slack, soft expression of unconscious peace. He's never heard the soft, rhythmic breathing of rest. He's never seen Peter twitch from a dream. He's never been able to sit there and acknowledge that Peter has finally allowed him the trust to be completely at his mercy.

Sometimes it bothered him. Sometimes he wondered if Peter trusted him. He thought he did - he's said it plenty times before: _"Out of everyone in this room, darling, you are the last person I'd expect to stab me in the back. So get out of my seat so I'm not sorely offended."_

Or, _"I do consider you to be the most intelligent of this pack of morons, dear, and I'll even go so far as to trust you with my life... But I am **not** going near that portal with you."_

And, in their intimate moments alone while Peter's kissing his skin, he's even said, _"I don't know why I decide to trust such an insufferable child with my deepest secrets and darkest lies if all he's going to do with them is turn them into movie references and jokes."_

Stiles has noticed the constant deflecting. He knows how to filter out the deflection to see the truth of Peter's words. Every time he admits a vulnerability to Stiles, it's always covered up by some snide comment denoting the true nature of his words. Stiles takes it in stride, understanding that this is Peter: brute, broken, internally enraged, once-feral Peter. He doesn't do vulnerability. Not anymore, at least. And Stiles accepts that. He accepts that, no matter how much he knows Peter is hurting inside, Peter will never let him or anyone else see it.

At least... That's what he thought.

But, standing in his bedroom doorway and staring in silence, all of his assumptions about Peter not wanting to be seen asleep by him because he didn't trust him were effectively shattered. Because, in the middle of his bed, on top of all of his sheets, Peter lay with eyes closed, deep in sleep.

Stiles quietly set down his bag, took off his various layers, and walked up to the bed, eyes lingering on his peaceful expression. He was on his back; one arm was behind his head, the other limp over his stomach, one leg bent underneath the other. Fully clothed - even with his shoes on.

Stiles wondered why he was here. It was a school day. His dad would be home any moment now. Peter only ever visited here when he had pack news - they only ever slept together at the loft, where they wouldn't be questioned by his dad, a.k.a, the fucking Sheriff.

But he couldn't be upset.

Instead, he felt... serene. All of the noise in his head throughout the day was instantly silenced. His heart ached - and he knew that feeling - ooh, he knew that feeling well.

He was so fucked.

Stiles went over and sat down beside Peter. He didn't wake up. So, Stiles reached out and touched Peter's soft, parted lips. And then he got distracted, because Peter had earbuds in, connected to an MP3 player sort of thing. Stiles could faintly hear a beat and noises, and his curiosity was untameable. After all, no one knew what music Peter listened to.

Stiles had always assumed he listened to something classical and jazzy. Piano, maybe. Cellos, and a soft guitar. Saxophone and stuff. Calm and intellectual stuff.

Instead, carefully removing the earbud from Peter's ear and putting it to his own, his eyebrows climbed his forehead when he heard _I'm Not Alright_ by Shinedown.

A hysterical giggle bubbled out of him at the sick, sick irony.

Stiles looked down at his sleeping lover and caressed his cheek with his knuckles. Peter's eyelids fluttered open and his arctic blue eyes met his own. Stiles carded his fingers through Peter's hair and Peter's eyes fluttered back shut and he let out a sigh.

"Peter," Stiles said quietly, taking the earbuds out and slipping his hand into the older man's pocket to take out the MP3 player and turn it off.

"I was listening to that," Peter mumbled grumpily. He wrapped an arm around Stiles and curled into his lap with a content sigh. "What's on your mind, little thing?"

Stiles leaned over, cradling Peter's head in his lap, and carded his fingers through his hair. Why, after all these years, is he just now letting Stiles see him asleep? Was something wrong? Is that why he let Stiles see him asleep? Did he get affected by some magical sleep infection or did hurt and couldn't fight off exhaustion? "Why don't you ever fall asleep around me while I'm awake," Stiles asked quietly. He watched Peter's lips pull into a small, cute smile.

"I like to listen to you fall asleep beside me." Peter's eyes stayed closed. "And I like to watch you wake up in my arms."

Oh...

_Oh..._

_Oh god, that was sickeningly, heartbreakingly sweet._

Stiles shook his head, beginning to shake with feeling. "I love you," he breathed. The first time he's said the words. The first time either of them have said the words. He'd always assumed, what with Peter's constant deflecting, he didn't want to admit any feelings, so Stiles never admitted his.

Peter was still for just a moment, but then he rolled onto his back and looked up at Stiles with his head still in his lap. His eyes danced around Stiles' face and Stiles was mesmerized by them, trying to sink into their depths and brace for Peter's response. "I know," Peter said, sounding confused.

Stiles frowned. "I-... What?"

Peter's lips spread into a cute, bashful smile. "You talk in your sleep, darling." He cocked his head and looked up at Stiles with more love in his eyes than Stiles had ever seen before. "That beautiful mouth of yours never stops..." Peter reached up and touched Stiles' lips, just like Stiles had done his. "Even in the deep depths of unconsciousness, apparently."

Stiles blushed deeply and rolled his eyes. "So... So I've..."

"Confessed your love to me?" Peter pushed himself up, and set a hand in the middle of Stiles' chest to push him down. He prowled on top of him and smirked down at him. Then, with the softest voice, quiet, for only Stiles to hear, he whispered, "Every night."

Stiles swallowed thickly, his heart clenching with too much emotion, eyes threatening to tear up. Peter looked down at him with the world-shattering expression of _pure wonder._ "My dear boy," Peter said, "I love you, more than words alone could describe." He stroked Stiles' cheek. "Even your completely incoherent nighttime babbles."

"Well, apparently they weren't that incoherent," Stiles said back with a snort, tangling his fingers in Peter's hair and pulling him down. Peter placed a kiss to Stiles' lips, and then ducked down to mouth at Stiles' throat. Stiles smiled and tilted his head back, giving his most intimate vulnerability over to the wolf.

"You make sense when it counts."


End file.
